📈 Construction Salaries Are Rising—But So Are Hiring Delays
TJ Kastning
We analyzed 200+ construction hires over 7 years. The trends reveal both progress and risk.
If you’re a construction leader, you’ve probably noticed that Project Manager and Superintendent compensation has climbed steadily. Our data confirms it: salaries have risen meaningfully in recent years.
But there’s a second trend buried in the data—and it’s more dangerous.
Hiring timelines are slowing down. And that delay is costing you.
📊 What the Data Shows
We cleaned and analyzed 7 years of recruiting data from Ambassador Group placements. Here’s what we found:
- Project Manager compensation rose from an average of ~$110K in 2018 to ~$145K+ by 2024.
- Superintendent salaries have followed a similar trajectory, pushing past $160K in many regions.
- Search timelines are long—and getting longer.
- Average time from search kickoff to candidate introduction: ~38 days
- Average time from introduction to hire: ~33 days
- Average time from hire to start: ~29 days
- That’s a total cycle of ~100 days… when everything goes right.
🧱 Why This Matters
Construction is fast-paced. Delayed hiring creates real drag:
- Project delays from understaffed teams
- Burnout among existing staff covering the gap
- Missed revenue when you can’t staff awarded work
- Talent loss when A-players accept offers elsewhere during a stalled process
You can’t afford a 3-month hiring cycle in a 3-week decision window.
⛏️ What’s Slowing You Down?
Based on client debriefs and internal analysis, here are the main culprits:
- Unclear Interview Strategy
Interviewers wing it. There’s no shared rubric, so decisions get fuzzy. - Role Confusion
The job description doesn’t match what the team really needs. Candidates feel it. - Feedback Bottlenecks
Busy leaders delay decisions. Great candidates ghost or accept elsewhere. - Leadership Drift
No one owns the quality of the final hire. Everyone assumes someone else is driving.
🚧 The Salary Trend Is a Red Herring
Yes, compensation is rising. But if you think money alone will land top talent, you’re missing the bigger picture.
The best candidates expect a sharp, respectful process. When the process drags or feels disorganized, they walk.
You don’t just need better comp—you need better hiring clarity.
🛠️ How to Fix It
Here’s how our clients cut their hiring timelines and improve decision quality:
- Start With Clarity
We define what success looks like before launching the search. That includes scoping the role beyond the job description. - Prep the Interview Team
We create a custom interview strategy with sample questions, role assignments, and decision checkpoints. - Map the Timeline
We set expectations with candidates and clients up front, including interview dates, decision windows, and offer logistics. - Run Bilateral Assessments
Using tools like the ProfileXT, we uncover how the candidate and the boss will actually work together—not just whether the résumé fits.
🔥 Bottom Line
You’re competing for top-tier talent in a high-stakes market. Every delay, every ambiguity, and every flinch in your hiring process can cost you the person who would have changed your business.
Don’t let a sluggish process block your best hires.
👉 Schedule an exploratory call
We’ll review your current pain points, walk you through our recruiting and PXT process, and decide together if we’re a fit.
